1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to quilting racks. More specifically, the invention is a tabletop quilting rack for use with a sewing machine. The quilting rack has a laser pointer guide, rollers to hold the raw material and the assembled quilt, a carriage, and an aluminum track on which the carriage rides.
2. Description of the Related Art
The related art of interest describes various quilting racks, but none discloses the present invention. There is a need for a quilting rack which is secured adjacent to a sewing machine which rides on a carriage of the rack. A laser pointer guides the tracing of a pattern on the quilt. The related art of interest will be discussed in the order of their perceived relevance to the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,241 issued on Mar. 11, 1980, to Donald K. Reed et al. describes an apparatus for quilting layered fabrics comprising a quilting frame including a sewing machine on a movable carriage. The sewing machine has an extensible sewing head for free-hand quilting. The apparatus has a large rectangular frame with six telescopic legs with three legs on each side. The sewing machine carriage is mounted by linear anti-friction bearings on parallel rails extending from side to side on the frame. Other parallel rails and anti-linear friction bearings extend transversely of the pattern and mount the linear bearings and carriage for movement longitudinally of the quilting fabric. A follower depends from the sewing machine carriage to engage and follow the pattern and controls movement of the carriage to conform to the pattern selected for quilting. The fabric and linear shafts may be adjusted and rotated to maintain the required tension on the material being quilted, and to assure a completed quilt free from wrinkles. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring a sewing machine with a telescopic head and a large support for manufacturing purposes.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,275 issued on Jun. 22, 1999, to John F. Flynn describes a multiple use quilting frame comprising a quilting frame for hand quilting or machine sewing quilting. The frame has three parallel spaced rods individually rotated and locked in a rotated position by engaging splines on the ends of the rods and on the frame ends by the use of a screw threaded knob-type wing nut. The top and bottom layers of the quilt are attached to certain rods and batting inserted from a fourth rod. The three quilt layers are attached to and wound on a third rod, and manipulated for either hand stitching or machine sewing with the rods maintaining the quilt in a taut condition. The device is distinguishable for requiring the addition of batting from a roll between the two rolls of the quilt layers.
Printout of xe2x80x9cHandi Quilterxe2x80x9d, printed on Mar. 25, 2002, from www.handiquilter.com, 1 page, last updated Mar. 21, 2002, and a printout of Handi Quilter trademark status as of Mar. 20, 2002, with first Use in Commerce Date: Oct. 31, 2000, 2pages. The first source describes the clamping of the Handi Quilter apparatus to a table, and setting the personal sewing machine to a gliding carriage. Telescoping poles allows quilts from 30 inches to Queen bed size quilts to be quilted. The unit is compact, portable and lightweight. The apparatus is dismantled by removing end bolts for storage. The apparatus is distinguishable for requiring a plastic track that is pieced together, taped to the table, but lacks attachment of the side supports. The apparatus requires retrackable buttons, and pieces of material wrapped around the tube supports to attach to the quilting material. The apparatus lacks a laser pointer.
Printout of xe2x80x9cPennywinkle Valley Ranchxe2x80x9d, printed on Mar. 25, 2002 from www.pennywinklevalleyranch.com, as best understood describes a home quilting system using a domestic sewing machine mounted on a lower rectangular table top with a second large movable rectangular table top of equal size above it holding the quilt material on presumed rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,665,638 issued on May 19, 1987, to Oscar E. Morton describes a quilting frame designed to stretch and hold material while hand stitching bed quilts. A pair of legs that are adjustable in height and that are free-standing when three rods for holding quilt material are removed from the frame. A hand crank is provided for rotating the rods and a locking device is available for prevention of rod rotation. Tensioning is provided for by a horizontal tensioning mechanism pivotal on link rods attached to one of a pair of horizontal rods of the frame. The device is distinguishable for being limited to hand stitching.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,480,742 issued on Nov. 6, 1984, to Wilfried E. Muylle describes a spreading conveyor apparatus comprising four rollers, an endless air-permeable laterally stretchable spreading band, endless air-permeable supporting band means within the path of the spreading band, and a suction box within the loop of the suction band and having a perforated wall in contact with the inner side of the supporting band means along a portion of its path. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to a spreading conveyor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,315,645 issued on Feb. 16, 1982, to Billy B. Knox describes a rug hooking stand comprising a pair of upright supports for a top supply roller, a mediate roller extending outward on a V-shaped strut, and a pickup roller in line with the first roller. The stand is distinguishable for being limited to a three-roller structure placed in a V-shaped path.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,850 issued on Nov. 28, 1967, to Wayne G. Story describes a feed control mechanism for a quilting machine arrangement comprising a means for driving the sewing and workpiece feed mechanisms from a common power source and including a guide mechanism with a differential gearing arrangement to compensate for the relative movement between the feed drive and the feed control mechanisms to provide a uniform speed rate for the feed drive mechanism relative to the speed of the sewing mechanism to insure uniformity of in the length of stitches of the sewing machine. The machine is distinguishable for being limited to a manufacturing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,680,507 issued on Aug. 1, 1972, to Giannino Landoni describes a multi-needle quilting machine for performing stitching along different paths, and having the carriage imparting a transverse movement to the quilting material achieved by gear coupling between the main shaft and the drawing roller axle to permit higher velocities of the quilting operation. The machine is distinguishable for requiring gearing.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,095 issued on Jun. 1, 1976, to Wayne G. Story describes an automatic quilting machine comprising a frame, a workpiece holding carriage mounted on the frame for universal movement, means for moving the carriage, a sewing mechanism, means for applying tension on the material, and means for automatically operating the carriage moving means, the sewing mechanism and the tensioning means. The machine is distinguishable for being limited to manufacturing quilts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,669,405 issued on Jun. 2, 1987; U.S. Pat. No. 4,858,540 issued on Aug. 22, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 5,136,955 issued on Aug. 11, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 5,913,277 issued on Jun. 22, 1999; to Rodolfo Resta et al. describe an apparatus for cutting and hemming quilts. The apparatuses are distinguishable for being limited to manufacturing quilts.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,953,485 issued on Sep. 4, 1990, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,969,410 issued on Nov. 13, 1990, to David Brower et al. describe an automatic quilting machine for specialized quilting of patterns which can be created by utilizing computer graphics in conjunction with a reprogrammable computer which can be controlled by a remote joystick and monitored by a video screen. The system is distinguishable for being limited to a manufacturing quilting apparatus and method.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,473 issued on Aug. 20, 1991, to Manfred Zesch et al. describes a method and apparatus for processing textile material webs such as quilts to obtain simultaneously sewn bands or ribbons and cover the entire width of the quilt material. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to a manufacturing quilting machine.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,617,802 issued on Apr. 8, 1997, to David R. Cash describes a multi-needle border machine having folders employable in mattress manufacturing by converting to simultaneously produce up to three border pieces. The machine is distinguishable for being limited to a manufacturing process.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,685,250 issued on Nov. 11, 1997, to Jeff Kaetterhenry et al. describes a quilting method and apparatus for making quilts from unquilted comforter bags. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to an assembly line type apparatus.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,151,816 issued on Nov. 28, 2000, to Jim Bagley describes a portable quilting frame assembly with a Z-structure profile comprising two complementary support structures, each of which includes a base member, an elevation member, and a fulcrum member. The two complementary support structures are coupled by a cross member. Coupled to each of the fulcrum members is a rail assembly comprising two complementary rail brace members which hold three rails upon which components of the quilt are separately disposed. The three rails consist of a take-up rail and two supply rails having gearing, i.e., ratchet and pawl, to maintain tension of the quilt between rails. The apparatus is distinguishable for being limited to hand-quilting.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,870,840 issued on Feb. 16, 1999, to Neil Geils et al. describes a stitchery scroll frame and stand for making quilts or rugs. The structure has front and rear rollers extending between two upright rectangular side frames. The scroll frame is distinguishable for being limited to two rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,347,732 issued on Sep. 20, 1994, to Robert S. Padawer describes a needlework scroll frame including slots and two fabric engaging rods. The frame is distinguishable for being limited to only two rollers.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,250 issued on Jul. 13, 1993, to Larry Ulmer et al. describes a portable, collapsible craftwork or quilting frame for tensioning textiles comprising a frame having parallel ends and sides supported by parallel legs on leg end plates and feet. The frame is distinguishable for being limited to a rollerless frame.
E.P.O. Patent Application No. 0 275 017 A2 published on Jul. 20, 1988, for Mario Resta et al. describes a quilting machine with an adjustable-length cloth-holder cylinder rotatable about a horizontal axis. The machine is distinguishable for requiring a rotatable cloth-holder cylinder.
E.P.O. Patent Application No. 0 393 474 A1 published on Oct. 10, 1990, for Mario Resta et al. describes a quilting machine with a stationary cloth-holder frame and sewing heads movable in orthogonal directions. The machine is distinguishable for requiring a plurality of movable sewing heads.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singularly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus, a quilting rack for sewing machines solving the aforementioned problems is desired.
The present invention is directed to an efficient and reliable quilting rack device integrated with a domestic sewing machine to enable the accurate free-motion machine quilting of one or two layers of fabric material including optional batting between the two fabric layers. One can stitch in any direction, and feel artistically free to make free-hand and stippling designs. Since, the sewing machine moves on its movable rack, there is less stress using this device than pulling the material through a stationary sewing machine. A laser light pointer element in front of the sewing machine on the top plate is provided for tracing patterns from a template placed on the right of the sewing machine. The quilting rack device has a horizontal rectangular aluminum frame with a lower carriage on four wheels travelling from one end to the other. A second carriage on four wheels translates forward and backward while carrying the sewing machine as a rider, and are not clamped to a table. A pair of upright aluminum side angle pieces on each side of the base forward of the sewing machine support plastic racks which hold three metal tubes. The front tube No. 1 rolls clockwise to roll up the unrolling fabric sheets fed from the middle roller No. 2 (top sheet) rotating clockwise and the rear roller No. 3 (bottom sheet) rotating counter-clockwise. There are stops on the lower carriage to prevent the sewing machine from rolling off. The domestic sewing machine can be a pattern programming machine, but the invention prefers manual patterning. Two metal tubes or rollers are arranged to enable the material to roll over with improved support and minimum sag. Hitch pin clips are utilized to hold the metal tubes in place. Slots are formed in the tube supports for an elastic band to slide through to hold the quilt snug from side to side. The elastic band has a snap fastener on one end for fastening to the tube support slot. The quilting rack device can be attached to a wall by brackets and used without a sewing machine and its carriages to free-hand stitch the quilt design.
Accordingly, it is a principal object of the invention to provide a quilting rack device which is combined with a domestic sewing machine on its own movable track to sew free-hand a quilting pattern on a quilt precursor fabric sheet.
It is another object of the invention to provide a quilting rack device having a laser light pointer for tracing patterns from a template.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a quilting rack device having a second carriage translating the sewing machine forward and backward.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a quilting rack device which can be mounted on a wall without using a sewing machine and the carriages by free-hand stitching the quilt design.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.